HUD announced that REAC inspections will resume, under a protocol to prioritize inspection of properties in counties identified as low risk.
Specifically, REAC inspections will begin on or after September 21, and will be prioritized to properties with historically low REAC scores in localities at low risk of COVID-19.
HUD’s announcement states that risk determinations will be based on the latest COVID-19 data from Johns Hopkins University and health risk scoring methodology from the Harvard Global Health Institute. REAC is categorizing states and localities into four risk categories based on this data. HUD says it will maintain a comprehensive list of safe inspection locations on the HUD website. That website contains a map identifying states in four risk categories, and an Excel spreadsheet identifying the risk level of counties as of July 26, 2020, and August 1, 2020. From lowest to highest COVID-19 risk, the risk categories are: (1) Low Risk, identified in green; (2) Moderately Low Risk, identified in yellow; (3) Moderately High Risk, identified in orange; and (4) High Risk, identified in red.
HUD says REAC will provide a listing on its website of low-risk counties 45 days prior to the start of physical inspections. Per HUD, the priority locations will change over time, and HUD will adjust its inspection plans as needed.
Presumably the Excel spreadsheet represents this list and will be updated going forward. HUD has also stated that, at the end of the 45-day period, REAC will provide a 14-day notification to priority properties in that county to inform families that an inspection will take place. The first outreach from inspectors to properties will start no earlier than September 21, 2020. Inspectors will prioritize properties with historically low REAC scores (high-risk properties) in Low Risk (Green) localities.